2017-18 NHL Calder Trophy Winner Odds, Prediction

Matthew Barzal of the New York Islanders, who is having a tremendous rookie campaign, is the frontrunner to win the Calder Trophy in 2018. The rising star forward leads all rookies in points and is the Islanders’ top point getter. With the NHL season winding down, are there any other rookies in contention for the Calder Trophy? We break it down and give a prediction in our Calder Trophy Odds preview.

Matthew Barzal (-400)

Many believe the Calder Trophy is already a lock, as Matthew Barzal is having a breakout debut season with the New York Islanders. The shifty forward has led all rookies in scoring for quite some time and is on pace for 83 points in his first NHL campaign. Barzal is a -400 odds-on favourite to win the Calder, as his point margin over the players chasing him has reached double digits. Barzal has averaged more than a point per game this season, but many of those points have been assists. What helps Barzal’s case is the fact that the Islanders are in a playoff race in the Eastern Conference and the rookie is a huge reason for that.

Brock Boeser (+300)

The future of the Vancouver Canucks is in good hands with players Brock Boeser coming up through the system. The American forward leads the club in goals and sits second in NHL rookie scoring with 55 points. Boesner has some work to do in order to catch Barzal in rookie scoring and have any shot of winning the Calder Trophy. Boesner did miss some time with a lower-body injury, which hurt his chances of overtaking the Isles forward in scoring among rookies. If the Canucks were in better position in the standings, perhaps Boeser’s chances of winning the award would be greater.

Yanni Gourde

The Tampa Bay Lightning forward wasn’t even in the pre-season discussion regarding the Calder Trophy. Now, Yanni Gourde, who is closing in on 30 goals in his first NHL season, sits third in scoring among rookies. Unlike the players about Gourde in this race, the Lightning rookie has the advantage of playing on a much better team as Tampa Bay will likely finish first in the Eastern Conference this season. Gourde has a plus-29 rating and a shot percentage of 20.3, which is among the top among rookies as well. At this point, oddsmakers have not released a betting line for Gourde, but that could change down the stretch.

The Toronto Raptors have emerged as the main contenders against the reign of the Golden State Warriors in 2019. NBA futures betting show Golden State as overpowering favorites to win another championship, especially in a weakened western conference. However, the rise of the eastern conference this season will produce a strong challenge from Toronto, the Boston Celtics or the Philadelphia 76ers, all of whom feature the personnel needed to upset the champs.

Super Bowl LIII takes place on February 3rd at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. An unprecedented offensive outburst from the league this season promises a high-scoring championship game. NFL Super Bowl futures over the stretch run features the Rams, Saints, Chiefs and Patriots as popular favorites. Clubs like the Los Angeles Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers offer superb value as potential contenders.

There’s no precedent to the Golden State Warriors, who will be overwhelming NBA futures betting favorites to win their third consecutive championship. No team in history has ever fielded a starting lineup consisting of all-stars like the Warriors, a situation most teams can't compete against. Even great contenders like the Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers will be longshots to win the 2019 NBA Finals.

Week 14 in the NFL begins a last ditch effort for franchises who still have a shot at making the post season. Clubs like the Panthers and Vikings need victories to avoid another disappointing season. Carolina's a solid bet to beat the Browns, but Minnesota's far from a lock against Seattle. The best NFL spread picks this week also include the Patriots, Rams and Packers.